


The Sky is Mine

by Kakushigo



Series: For Serenity [1]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: F/F, F/M, Firefly!AU, Gen, M/M, and Bucky only hurts for a little while, in which everything is good, it's basically Avengers in space, no working knowledge of Firefly needed to read it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-20
Updated: 2016-05-20
Packaged: 2018-06-03 13:30:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6612451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kakushigo/pseuds/Kakushigo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ever since the Battle for Serenity Valley, Tony and his best friend Pepper Potts have been floating under the Alliance's radar with their ship, The Avenger.  But when they pick up passengers Steven Barnes and Bruce Banner all their careful planning goes to shit.  They're declaring war on the Alliance one secret at a time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Simple Job

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ezazahaz](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ezazahaz/gifts).



> I’m sorry if you aren’t familiar with the comics, but there are a few characters here who have their comic selves compared to their cinematic counterparts (Jan & Hank Pym primarily). For all main characters though, it’s MCU all the way (as in Tony, Bucky, and Steve). And of course, I took a few liberties with Firefly plot lines…  
> I kept side relationships out of focus, just in case you weren’t a Pepasha or Pym Partners fan.

Landing on Medusa wasn't supposed to be anything special.  A couple of repairs, a fuel up, and then the  _ Avenger _ was off again.  It didn't work out like that though.  The parts that Jan needed for the repairs weren't exactly cheap and fueling the gravity drive was even more expensive.  So they were stuck a little bit poorer and needing a little bit of disposable income.  Which led to their current position and one Tony hated with a burning passion: taking on passengers.  If he never had to do it again, he’d be a much happier man.  

So here he was, standing on the gangplank of the  _ Avenger _ , looking out over the bazaar.  A few people come over to talk to members of his crew, but most drift away without choosing to board.  Not a problem, if Tony doesn't have to deal with them the better.  He hates being a pleasure freighter, his vessel is a working vessel not a cruising one.  

But there are two who do board and Tony eyes them suspiciously.  But their credits are valid and neither of them are going far.   It means the  _ Avenger _ can get all the repairs the beauty deserves, so Tony supposes he can bear them for as long as necessary.

Doctor Bruce Banner and Steve Barnes are the two passengers they take.  The good doctor doesn't care where he does as long as it is far and out of the core, while Steve has a place in mind.  But he has a lot of boxes that need transported.  Tony is, of course, very suspicious.  And besides, it’s a tiny habit of his to sift through the stowed property.   Who need that many boxes?  It can't bode well.

Which is his reasons for snooping now.  The safety of his crew is in jeopardy, he's allowed to snoop.  Steve's crates are of more interest than Bruce's things, since the Doctor didn't bring many personal effects on.  The biggest box of Steve's is especially curious.  Tony can't help but fiddle with it.  It's got some pretty impressive biometrics and preservation lines running through it.  It's a pretty impressive piece of work, if Tony can say so.  It does make him very curious about the contents.  

He doesn't intend to open it up at all.  Steve is allowed his secrets.

The Alliance goons who com Tony about illegal good he’s supposedly transporting take that choice away from him.  Or rather they make him a little suspicious with all their questioning.  They never ask for Steve by name, but they're obviously talking about Steve, which is enough to send Tony into protective mode.  He doesn't care if he loses a paying passenger, his family and his crew are far more important than any monetary sum.  And the good Doctor could help foot the cost a bit probably.  Not the best solution but at least it's something.  

After the Alliance drone has left, Tony heads right down to the cargo bay.  Unfortunately, Steve is already down there, sitting on the very create Tony is so curious about.

"Off!"  Tony barks and Steve looks up from his sketch, startled.

Of course, Steven Rogers (who uses a really bad fake name but paid half price up front for some far off moon of the Alliance) has something interesting in his bags.  Now Tony just has to figure out what the Alliance is so set on.

Steve protests, of course.  “No!  There’s nothing of interest in here.”

Tony looks up, eyes blazing.  He offered his palm to Steve, confusing Steve until he saw that there was glove and it was obviously some sort of weapon.  Steve has never seen anything like it before it.

“Please, don’t hurt him.”  Steve pleads, moving away from the crate.  His hands are up, but Tony doesn’t look away from the crate.  Once he's far enough away, Tony hacks into it with on hand, gauntlet still leveled at Steve.  The lid lifts and Tony is hit with a cold wave of air, but that isn’t what has his attention.  The thing Steve was smuggling?  Was a person.  A naked person with what Tony was pretty sure was a Mark IV prosthetic from HammerTech.  A piece of crap, but very expensive piece of crap.  

“Hurt him?”  Tony snarls, “I’m not the one into slave trading!”

Steve has the gall to look offended.  “I’m not slave trading.  He’s my brother.”

_ Because that makes everything so much better _ , Tony thinks bitterly.  What’s a little Cryo freezing between brothers?  “You keep your brother cryogenically frozen?”

“Until I could get him safely away from the Alliance, that’s why I didn’t care where we were dropped as long as it wasn’t the core.”  Steve replies, looking defeating.  Tony knows he should turn them into the Alliance, but instead he coms Pepper and updates her on the situation.

Tony has no reason to believe him, so he doesn’t.  He motions to Hank, who was on the platform above to come down and restrain Steve. He doesn’t fight at all, but Tony doesn’t give him even that point in his favor.  “Pep, get Bruce down here.”

“What are you going to do to Bucky?”  Steve demands, as though he has some say in what's happening. 

"What I should've done when you first got on my ship,"  Tony replies coldly, "Saving him.  You called him Bucky, right?  Well, Bucky is under my protection now, you can't hurt him again, especially not with your particular brand of brotherly love."  Yes, he sounds disgusted, it's because he is. The idea that someone could do this to their brother... Steve hadn't seemed like the type, but there was a lot of things that Steve was hiding, why not this proclivity as well?  Wouldn't be the worst thing someone has ever hidden from him...  Wouldn't even make the top ten.

"Whatever you do to me," Steve pleaded, "just don't turn him over to the Alliance.  They'll do terrible things to him.  Worse things than they've already done."  Tony has never intended to turn him over in the first place, but Steve's words gave him more of a reason not to.  Tony wasn't too keen on trusting the Alliance in the first place, but as much as Steve was a liar, there were things the Alliance didn't talk about and apparently Bucky was one of them.  Tony waves Pym away and he leaves, dragging Steve with him.

"Don't worry, Bucky,"  Tony assured him, though the man can't hear.  He's still frozen, but Bruce will be done soon enough to fix that, "We'll take good care of you.  I always take good care of my crew."  And when Bucky wakes up he can decided if he actually wants to be part of the crew or not, and he'll be the one deciding what is done with Steve.  Because Steve might be telling parts of the truth, but only Bucky would know that.  


	2. Mrs. Stark?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clint is a bizarre addition to the Avenger's crew and Bucky really doesn't like him. That might have something to do with his marriage to Tony though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's sorta Tony/Clint in this chapter? I mean SPOILERS they're married. But neither actually likes each other and the validity of the marriage is...questionable, at best. 
> 
> And there's a significant time jump between last chapter and this one. What you've missed: Bucky's awakening, Bruce telling Tony what's wrong with Bucky (brain damage repressing explicit memories), Steve's release from the holding block as long as he behaves. Bucky & Tony are sorta friends, since Tony kept visiting while Bucky was in a coma and Bucky could hear him.
> 
> The use of the last name Stane is intentional. It's not explained in this chapter or any sequential chapters, but I do have a legitimate reason for using it. If I ever do a sequel/time stamps I plan on explaining it.

 

 

So their stop over in Triumph had not gone exactly as Tony had planned, but he doesn't mind.  They saved the locals from the bandits, he got to wear a dress, and Bucky got to pretend to be his husband.  All in all, if could have been much worse.  Hell, they even got a party out of it, granted it's a party Tony doesn't remember real well, but isn't that all the best parties?

In fact... Tony grins at the elder, "Elder Gommen," he starts formally, "thank you for the hospitality."

The elder waves away his words with a small frown.  "We owe you a great debt."  He protests.  "I'm sorry we have so little to pay it with, though I hope our gifts will show our regards."  Hank, who Tony hasn't seen since last night, appears from the depths of the  _ Avenger _ , brandishing a rain stick with a grin.

"Besides,"  Tony continues, watching Hank, "I don't think Hank'll ever let go of that stick."  Gommen laughs and Tony joins him, but his mirth stops short when Pepper joins Hank on the gangplank.

"Tony," she calls out, "there's a patrol ship close to atmosphere right now."

He hates that he has to go, so he claps the Elder on the shoulder, "Sorry, Elder, but we've gotta fly."

The Elder nods, not understanding Pepper's words, but understanding the intent behind them.  "We shall pray for your safe voyage and hope to meet you in better times, my friend."

Tony turns back from where he's walking up the gangplank to wave, "You can count on it!" The gaping maw of the Avenger seals behind him and lifts off immediately.

The Elder hasn't moved from where he was, watching the ship.  Once it's gone from view he whispers, "Bless you, Tony Stark, bless you."

Meanwhile, Tony is in the cargo hold checking the supplies that they've picked up.  There aren't many, but he still likes to check them over with his own eyes.  While checking the propane tanks, he hears the sound of scuffling shoes.  It's not a tread he recognizes, so it's not his crew.  His gauntlet power up.  "Who's there?"  Tony calls out.  "Show yourself!"

"It's just me," a voice drawls in the accent of Triumph as they step out behind a case of propane.  Tony eyes them up immediately, assessing threat level.  He is shabbily dressed, but his handsome features more than make up for that fact.  Or they would, if Tony wasn't so paranoid.

"Who're you?"  Tony demands.  "And why are you stowing away on my ship?"  Like they needed more reasons for the Alliance to come after them.

The man look hurt by Tony's questions, which makes no damn sense.  "You don't remember me?"

"No, I don't remember you."  Tony levels the gauntlet at him.  "So tell me who the fuck you are."

The man looks panicked now and shouts, "I'm your husband! Elder Commen didn't tell you-"

Tony can’t believe his ears and cuts him off immediately, "You're my what?"

"Your husband."  The man repeats obediently.

Tony isn’t married though, so he rolls his eyes and demands, "What's your name?"

"Clint Stane."  The man answers swiftly.   Tony breaks down laughing and Clint looks confused.  "I didn't realize marriage was a laughing matter…”  Clint says,  “Don't I please you?"

"You've never met me,"  Tony replies hotly.  "You can't please me."  Pepper appears on one of the overhead guards and Tony turns to her, "Pep, why the hell am I married?"  Tony didn’t see who was behind Pepper until that moment, but he sees Hank and knows he’s doomed.  Hank’s wife, Jan, is a terrible gossip but Hank isn’t much better. 

Hank blinks at Tony, not quite processing his words, then grins.  "You finally got hitched!  Told you that you'd eventually join Jan, Pepper, Natasha and I in married bliss."

"I didn't!”  Tony protests.  “We're not married."

Clint looks down at his feet, "I'm sorry I'm not the significant other you wished.  I'm sorry I can't bear you children..."

Tony sputters, "That's-that's, Pep, call Nat!"

Pepper nods and smirks, heading over to the com.  She presses it and says oh so sweetly, "All personnel to the cargo bay, all personnel."

"Pep!"  Tony howls betrayed, "I said Nat."

"Tony,"  Pepper's smirk doesn't drop, "you've finally gotten hitched.  We're all going to celebrate."

Of all things- Tony can’t even get respect on his own damn ship.  "I haven't gotten hitched!  I don't know him!  He doesn't know me!  He's not the man I want to marry." 

The rest of the crew, starting with Jan and ending with Bruce trickles into the cargo bay, curious.

Bucky eyes Clint with distrust.  "Who's your new stray, Tony?"  He asks.  Everyone else has gathering in a circle around Clint, but Bucky just saunters over to Tony and leans against him.

"Everyone,"  Pepper says, gesturing widely, "I want you all to meet the new Mr. Stane."   Bucky and Tony tense, but everyone else claps.

"Oh, congrats, Tony!"  Jan says excitedly.  "I'm so happy for you!  Now you aren't going to die old and alone."

"A great comfort, I'm sure." Tony replies dryly.

Steve beams at him, as though he is honestly pleased and Tony just wants to kill them all.  "Congrats," Steve says, adding insult to injury.

Nat smiles, eyeing Clint.  He looks familiar.  "I'd always hoped you'd find someone."  She'd placed bets on it being Bucky though.  "Who're you?"

"He's no one!" Tony answers for him.  

Clint regards Tony with wide eyes then bursts into tears.  Pepper glares at Tony and he shrugs unrepentant.  Jan steps over and wraps her arms around Clint's shaking shoulders.

"Shhh," she murmurs comfortingly, "it's okay.  Tony is just a big meanie."

Tony scoffs, but doesn't deny it.  He's not the nicest person in the world, so what?  He was married against his will to someone he doesn't know, he's allowed to be a bit pissed about it.

"Perhaps,"  Bucky suggests diplomatically, "I should take the Captain somewhere else and you can properly deal with our new passenger?"  Pepper nods her consent, which was all BUcky was truly looking for.  So he pushes Tony from the room.

Tony, in his normal fashion, decides he must have the last word and twists around to shout, "He gets his own room!  I'm not sharing."  That flings Clint into renewed hysterics.  Jan shoos everyone out of the cargo bay except the two of them, so they can properly talk.

"I'm sorry about Tony," she starts off, "he can be a bit of a jerk.  But he's got a good heart."  A really good heart.  Hell, half the crew had started out as some warped charity project and look what they'd ended up as.

Clint looked up at her, tears streaking his face, "It's just...I thought, I thought he was pleased with our union.  He seemed so last night..." 

Jan nodded, "I bet he did.  But, unfortunately, he was drunk and our Tony doesn't make the best of decisions while drunk."

Clint nods miserably.  "Will he have me killed?"  Jan almost laughs at the absurdity of the question- except Clitn seems honest in asking it.

"No," she reassures him, "no, Tony would never have you killed."  Stranded on a planet?  Maybe.  But she felt it best not to mention that part.  

Clint nods again, looking slightly comforted.  Jan gave herself a mental pat on the back.  "I'm glad.  I've heard of people getting killed in the black for...proclivities such as ours."

"Nah, we don't care."  Jan assures him.  "And it's not like Tony doesn't swing that way.  It's just he got his eye on another guy...  And hey, if anyone tries to kill you for your proclivities, kill 'em back.  They're assholes."

That causes Clint to actually laugh and Jan is incredibly pleased with this result.  "The other guy,"  Clint asks, just a little more hesitant than before, "that the one who glares and wears all black, right?"

"His name is Bucky,"  Jan informs Clint, "and yes.  They're close."

"I don't want to get in the way of that."  Clint replies miserably.  "But I also want to perform my marital duties."

And this is a subject Jan isn't sure she's qualified to handle, but she'll try.  "Don't worry about your marital duties.  Tony doesn't want that from you.  I'm sure we'll figure out something else for you to do."

Her words don’t seem to comfort Clint.  He just plays with the hem of his outfit, "What's going to happen to me?"

"Well, if we can't return you home," Jan knew Tony would try, but considering how quickly they'd left the planet, it might not be possible, "then we'll drop you off somewhere."

"I don't want to be a circus performer."  Clint says earnestly, grabbing Jan’s hand.  

Jan doesn’t quite understand why that’s his first though, but squeezes his hand in what she hopes is a comforting way none the less.  "We'll figure something out, okay? Don't worry. Now come on, the range is just through here."

"Range?"  Clint queries, head tilted ever so slightly in curiosity.

"Mhh."  Jan hums, then brightens considerably, "Remember how I said you should kill them back?  Here, let me teach you how."  She was by no means the best marksman of the bunch, but she could hold her own.  Best marksman was probably Tony or Nat’s dubious honor. 

Clint shrugs, standing, "I'm decent at hunting.  Is it anything like that?”  he felt it best not to mention the fact he had been considered the best marksman in the ‘verse.  He was pretending to be a backwater waif from Triumph after all.  “I can cook too, if you've got a kitchen."

"Unless you can make coffee, cooking isn't going get you anywhere."  Jan replies, feeling very sorry for him.  All he wanted to do was marry happy, but of pretty much everyone on board, he had to pick Tony.  Even Hank would've been a better choice.  

"Oh." Clint mumbles.  


	3. Interlude: I Can't Believe I Got Married

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There are conversations. No one is really happy with them, especially Tony.

"How the hell do I divorce him?"  Tony asks Bruce, pacing around the medbay.  "I'm sure he's a nice guy, but..."

Everyone knew that Tony and Bucky were at least interested in each other, it was the worst kept secret of the  _ Avenger _ .  "I looked it up, in the encyclopedia.  You need..."  Bruce starts out, happily to help his Captain. 

Natasha pokes her head into the room, "Sorry to interrupt.  Tony, if I may."  Tony waves his hand, giving her permission to continue.  "Just got a wave.  The cortex has a bulletin in it about the murder of a prefect's nephew.  I recognized the face- it was one of the bandits we killed.  Fancy getting killed over returning Clint?"

Tony sighs and shakes his head.  "Guess we're taking him with us, then?"

Nat nods, "Looks like it, sorry."  She doesn’t want the Captain unhappy, but they can’t risk themselves.

Once Nat delivers that news, Tony turns towards Bruce, "Well, Bruce, how the hell do I rend myself from him?  For that matter, how the hell did I marry him?"

Tony's anger is amusing and Bruce can't help the quirk of his lips.  Tony glares at him for it, but it wakes much more than Tony's glare to cow Bruce.  "I believe I can answer both of those.  In the custom of Triumph "When one lays a wreath upon their intended representing their wish of union.  And the receiver drinks of the wine proffered.  The two may dance followed by a joining of hands." " Bruce reads the passage word for word and Tony  knew that is what happened.  Didn't mean he had to like it.

"Divorce?"  Tony queried.

"According to this,”  Bruce rereads the passage, making sure he’s got it right, “it's rare and requires dispensation from her pastor.  I'll send a wave, see what we can do."

Tony nods, appeased for the moment.  "I appreciate that.  He's nice, just not my type."

"Seemed emotional."  Bucky grouses, jealous.

Tony snorts and pats Bucky's arm.  "Not everyone can be as hard to read as you, James.  Besides, I'm sure they don't need to play at tall, dark, and gloomy on Triumph.  Seems to be a nice planet."

"Tony, if you sleep-" Bruce starts, but Tony cuts him off.

"No, no, no!  We aren't even discussing this.  I'm not sleeping with him.”  Tony wasn’t even going to entertain the thought.  First of all, it’d be taking advantage of Clint and secondly Tony simply didn’t want to.  “He gets his own room and anything.  I'm certainly not going to take advantage of him."

Bucky looked slightly less grumpy at that, but that could also be Tony’s imagination.  It was always so hard to tell with him. 


	4. Interlude: To Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More conversations. This time Tony asks for advice from Wanda, the Avenger's Companion, and then runs into Clint. They have a fake heart to heart, it's all good.

Wanda taps idly at her console, scheduling appointments and figuring out such a schedule that her brother can visit.  Pietro is a runner and Wanda misses seeing him, but his craft just isn’t big enough for the two of them.  He’s also not on planet often enough for Wanda to practice her craft.  There’s a knock at the door.

“Who is it?”  Wanda asks.

“Just me.”  Tony answers.  “May I enter?”

“Please, do.”  Wanda returns, finalizing the appointment.  Her brother hasn’t answered her wave yet, but they’ll make it work, they always do.

Tony enters, peering over his shoulder warily.  Deciding the cost is clear, he slumps on Wanda’s bed, looking utterly exhausted.  “I’m sorry.  It’s just…I need a place to hide for a while.”

“Honeymoon over?”  Wanda teases, but Tony’s frown looked particularly troubled. 

He rolls to his side, hand coming up to cover the center of his chest.  Wanda recognizes the gesture because of her long association with the Captain, but still doesn’t know what it means.  “He’s nice enough, just… I wanted to marry for love and I don’t love him.  I don’t even know him.”

“Could you learn to?”  Wanda asks, curious despite herself. She, as well as anyone, knows how terribly fond Tony is of Bucky and vice versa, but she often knows the love born of close quarters and shared trauma can be fleeting. 

The sad look from earlier crawls over Tony’s face, “Possibly.  I don’t think I want to though.”

“I’m sure there’s something exciting about him.”  Wanda assures him.  She wishes she could say more, but all she could offer was a pleasant distraction.  “We’ll be in Beaumonde for at least two weeks, right?”

“Hopefully.”  Tony replies, knowing that their schedule often inconveniences Wanda.  “Is that how much time you need?  You know we can accommodate your schedule.  You’re our Ambassador, after all.”

Wanda waves away and protests Tony might make.  “I don’t wish to inconvenience you.  My brother is coming though…”

“Oh?”  Tony asks, grinning.  Wanda is glad he no longer seems sad.  The Captain is sad far too often.  “Have fun then.  If it’s really necessary, we’ll leave you on Beaumonde for a couple days.  You should definitely get to meet your brother.  It’s been a couple weeks from the last time, right?”

Wanda rolls her eyes good naturedly at Tony.  He’s such a dork.  “Shut up, Tony.”

He gasps, clutching the front of his shirt as though mortally wounded.  “Never!” 

But they lapse into silence and Wanda has never liked silence.  “Perhaps he will pleasantly surprise you.  Many meet their soulmates in auspicious circumstances.”

“Perhaps,” Tony agrees.  The small smile on his face tells Wanda that he’s probably not thinking about Clint though. 

“I wish you hundreds of fat children.”  Wanda presses.

That makes Tony focus and he makes a disgusted face, “Ew.  First off, both male.  Do you know how expensive that would be?  And secondly, not sure I’m the fathering type.”

Once again, Wanda waves the protests away.  It’s far too much fun to wind up Tony. “I’m sure if you wanted to, you could find the cash.  And you seem to have done alright by your crew.”

Tony fixes her with a slightly irritated but mostly fond look. “They aren’t kids though.”

“Pietro and I were,” Wanda replies with a shrug, “when you first took us in.”

He can’t exactly refute that, because it’s true.  “Yeah, but you guys were old souls.  Sometimes, you act older then me.”  

She gives a huff of laughter, “It’s not hard, Tony.”

Tony pouts in an exaggerated manner, “I feel so attacked right now.”  Wanda starts laughing and Tony joins in mere seconds later. 

When she managed to stop, she smiles at Tony and asks, “Don’t you have a ship to captain?” As much as she would like to spend time with the Captain, he’s a very busy man.  

“Okay, okay,” Tony holds up his hands, still grinning, “I can take a hint.”

“See that you do.”  Wanda replies cheerfully.  “And don’t be too harsh on Clint, Tony.  It’s not his fault.”  If anything, it is Tony’s fault or perhaps the fault of the village elders.  Clint should be the last person blamed in this case.

“I’ll try my hardest.”  Tony promises and finds that he means it.  Sometimes he just needs to put things into a proper prospective.  He heads towards the cargo bay, planning on avoiding everyone for just a bit longer.  As he hits the bottom of the stairs though, he knows he can’t do that.  The very person he had hoped to avoid was there.  Clint doesn’t appear to have seen him yet, so Tony turns around.

“Tony!”  Clint shouts happily and Tony flinches.  “You like to sneak about, don’t you?”  He says as he slips down off the storage crates.  “I almost missed you.”

“Yes, well, the life of a Captain is a busy life.”  Tony answers, turning around.  Clint makes to hug him, but Tony holds up his hand and Clint can take a hint.

Instead, Clint stops a couple inches away.  “You’re a good man, you know that?”

Tony laughs in disbelief.  “And here I thought you were talking to my crew.  Clint, I’m not a good man.”  The amount of blood on his hand speaks well enough for that.

Almost shyly, Clint looks up at him.  “I didn’t wish to be wed to a large one.  Man or woman.  I’d rather, if I can’t be yours, I’d rather have good work.  I’d be a decent ranch hand, I think.  Figure my talents could be of use there.”

And Tony feels bad for the amount of relief he feels.   “It’s good work,” Tony reassures him.  “My mother had a ranch,” not really, but he’s not about to go about telling who his parents really were, “back on Shadow, where I’m from.  Mostly cattle.  She was smart about it.  Used to tell me one had to brand the buyer not the cattles, he’s the one less likely to pay.”  It was actually a bit of his father’s advice, reworded.  He always advocated contracts above all else.  You could deliver all the product you wanted, but if you didn’t get paid… Of course, his father was also stabbed in the back by his best friend, so maybe his advice wasn’t the soundest. 

Clint looks interested, “She raised you herself?” 

Well, wouldn’t that have been interesting?  Tony ran with it.  “Her and about forty hands.  It really takes a village to raise a kid.”  More like a thousand nannies.  Neither his father nor mother had been all that interested in him. 

“You don’t talk about this much, do you?”  Clint asks, picking up on some subverbal que that Tony was giving.

Tony shakes his head.  Pepper was probably the only one who had even the vaguest clue about his childhood, but even she had joined him only after his parents were dead and he’d been left for dead.  Jan might know, they’d run in the same circles as children, but she’d certainly never said as much.

“Does your crew never ask?”  Clint presses.

“That’s not the problem.  They’re a curious bunch.  It’s just, they’re gossips just a bit.”  Hell, Nat had been a spy for the longest time.  And Tony trusts them with his life, just not all his secrets.  He tapped his hand against his sternum, lost in thought.  He missed Clint’s eyes tracking the movement.

“What about you?”  Tony asks.  “What’s your story?”

Clint shrugs, “Not much to tell, let’s be honest.  I’m from Triumph, it’s probably like a dozen other planets you’ve seen.  Been there all my life.”

“I wouldn’t mind a little familiarity.  Tell you the truth, I think I’ve had enough excitement in life.”  His heart would give out on him sometime.  Tony can’t say he’d be complaining too much, he’d lived a long and crazy life by now.  He’d fought in wars that had been considered lost before they’d been started, he flew a Firefly class crewed by thieves and he wasn’t dead yet. 


	5. Interlude: I Knew Him

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pepper and Natasha have a conversation about Clint. They don't resolve anything except the fact they're still in love with each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is strictly Peptasha with a small sprinkling of plot. Skip if not your cup of tea.

“Clearly, he shouldn’t be near the Captain,” Natasha argued.  “You don’t get that good with a bow overnight.”

“That’s probably all they had to hunt.”  Pepper shot back.  “He’s lived on Triumph all his life, not exactly the hotspot for…whatever you think he is.  Spy?”  Natasha was always a little bit overly suspicious. 

Natasha shook her head, frowning.  “No.  He’s far too familiar with all the weapons.  He’s not from Triumph.”

Pepper doesn’t even want to know how Natasha found out how well Clint handles weapons.  “Every planet has their own quirks.  Hell, about a year before you tried spying on Tony, we spend six week son a moon where the principal form of recreation was juggling geese.”  She shuddered, mostly sure she’s be so much happier if she forgot that had ever happened.  “Well, goslings.  Baby geese.”  Pepper shrugged, trying to covertly change the subject.  It nearly never works on Natasha, but she has to try. 

“The Captain shouldn’t be babysitting a security breach.”  Nat argued, well aware of her wife’s attempts to lead her astray.

Pepper knows that Nat wouldn’t be kicking up a fuss without a good reason.  “I just don’t see him being a security breach.  You got proof?  You know Tony won’t take you at your word.”

“I’ll find some.”  Nat promised.  “I don’t want the Captain hurt anymore then you do.  Why couldn’t we have dropped his ass back on Triumph where it probably doesn’t belong, but it certainly belongs there more then here?”  Of course Nat actually knew.  She’d told the Captain about the wave herself.  “He’s trouble.”

“You’ve convinced me of that.”  Pepper promised.  “But I’m not the one you need to convince.”  Pepper reaches up, gently pulling Nat down and pressing a kiss to her cheek.  “Good luck, darling.”

Natasha smiled indulgently down at Pepper.  “Well, I know what could help me plan on how to break this to the Captain.  Join me in bed?”

“It would be my pleasure.”  Pepper replied, standing up and kissing Natasha.  “I’ve set us on autopilot, now blow my mind.”


	6. Breaking Point

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clint gives Tony a kiss, Bucky gives Tony a kiss. Tony much prefers Bucky kisses.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The finish! I had originally intended this to be much longer, but I kind of ran out of time...So there will probably be time stamps coming later. Especially relating to why Tony & Bucky are so familiar with each other. Why Steve was released from the brig, etc. And probably something where this crew deals with everything that happens in Serenity. So, ah, look forward to that?

Tony walked into his bedroom, took in the state it was in, and started climbing back up the ladder.

“Where are you going?”  Clint asked, amused.

“To another room.”  Tony answered honestly.  “You could’ve just told me you wanted these quarters to bunk in, I wouldn’t have fought you.”

“Tony,” Clint muttered in exasperation, “I want to share these quarters with you.”

“That’s mighty nice of you.”  Tony answered, still facing the rungs of the later leading out of his quarters.  “I sleep alone though.  Completely alone.”

Clint sighed, “But you don’t have to.  We’re married, I might as well fulfill my marital duties.”

Tony whirls around at that, “Maybe I don’t want that!”  He doesn’t mean to yell, but this doesn’t sit well with him.

Clint doesn’t move though, “I do.  You do seem to find me attractive.  Why shouldn’t we?  If you’re waiting for Bucky, you might be waiting a long time.  It’ll be a fun romp in the sack, no strings attached.”

And Tony can’t believe his ears.  He also feels a bit sick.  “While you are attractive,” Tony has no problems admitting that, “I’m really not interested.  I don’t want to sleep with everyone I find attractive.  Please, leave.”

“I cried the day we were married.” That seems non sequitur, so Tony looked up.  Clint continues, “I didn’t cry because I was sad.  Many of my village had already been married off, those who were old enough to be anyways.  I cried because I had seen my brothers and sister married off to ugly, greedy, fat men who saw them as nothing more than trophies.  But then you…”  Clint reaches forward gently, and Tony doesn’t move away.  “I had never dreamed to be so lucky.  I thought they were saving me for the worst, but then you came along.  And you might not have the money the others did, but you are kind.  You are beautiful.  If I had to choose any man, I would choose you.”

Tony can’t believe his ears.  And besides, “And if you could choose a woman?”

Obviously that wasn’t the question Clint was expecting.  “What?”

“If you could choose a woman?”  Tony presses.  “Do you even like men?”

“I like both.”  Clint admits.  “But that’s not the point.  Leave me at the nearest port.  Never look at me again.  I don’t care, you’ve taught me enough to survive.  Only let me have this, let me have my wedding night.”

“I really wish it was that simple,” Tony admits, stepping backwards.  Clint follows closely behind.  “But it’s no-“ Tony is cut off by Clint, who reaches forward and kisses Tony roughly.  Tony tries to push him away, but his struggles cease quickly.   Clint holds Tony’s still body for a couple of seconds before gently placing him on the floor.

“G’night, sweetie,” Clint trills with a wicked grin.  “It’s been fun.”  Quickly, he scales the same ladder Tony had tried to retreat up.  He heads down the hall then up the stairs to the bridge.  He peers in through the porthole first, seeing only Pepper.  There were bruises along her neck and Clint could swear that was a different outfit than earlier.  Since it’s only one person, Clint opens the door.

Pepper looks up, which surprises Clint.  He’s quiet, most people wouldn’t have heard him.  “If it’s not the master archer.”  And how the hell did she know that?  Only him and Jan had been in the range at the time and Jan had teased him, but happily agreed not to tell anyone.  “Not feeling tired?”

Clint shakes his head, answering the question.  “Am I allowed to be up here?”

Pepper nods, “Yeah, sure.  Not like there’s anyone else up here right now.  Tony might not be happy about it, but I’ve been dealing with him for years.”

Which reminds him that he’s left TOny passed out on the floor of his room.  And he feels really guilty about that.  To hide his reaction, he looks out the windshield.  “I’ve never been off-world before.”

“I hadn’t been off-world until I meant Tony.” Pepper replies, apparently happy to make conversation.  “Now I’m practically never on world.  It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

“It’s a dream come true.”  And it was, especially since he’d been stuck on Triumph for so long.  

“Planet I’m from, couldn’t see any stars because the pollution is so thick.  I think I joined flight school just so I could see what everyone is talking about.”  Now Clint actually feels bad about what he’s doing.  He closes the door as quietly as he can, but by the way Pepper’s eyes sharped, she heard and saw.  Who the hell is this pilot?  “What are you doing?”

“Now we’re alone.  Just us and the stars.  No ship sounds, no people.  It’s perfect isn’t it?”  He offers his hand to Pepper and she takes it, allowing herself to be pulled out of pilot’s chair.  “Ever heard the myth of the Earth-that-was?”

“Not really,”  Pepper answers.  It’s not so much a myth to her.  Tony’s family had holos of Earth-that-was, heirlooms that Tony had showed her a long time ago.

“When she was born, she had no sky and was open and inviting.”  Clint has always been in love with the myths.  He dreams of eventually returning to the Earth-that-was and finding it bountiful and ripe.  “And the stars would rush into her, though her skin.  Making her oceans boil with sensation.  When she could endure no more, she puffed her cheeks and blew out the sky.”

Pepper nods, smiling indulgently.  “It’s a good myth.”

Now Clint has to move in for the kill.  He’s already struck out once tonight, so he’s beginning to doubt his seduction training a bit.  “My whole life, I saw nothing but roofs, steeples, and cellar doors.  And few days I’ll be back there and gone from the stars.  Make this night what it should be.  Please, show me the stars.”

Of all the things Pepper had expected, that hadn’t been in the top ten.  No wonder Nat was on edge.  She doubted Nat had any idea what Clint was up to though.  “I’m happily married.”  Pepper replied.  “Very happily married and madly in love with a fantastic woman who could break you with her pinkie.”  Of course, Natasha could also break Pepper with his pinkie finger but Pepper trusted Natasha not to.

Clint slumps.  “I’ve been too forward.”  And that’s strike two.  

“Just a bit.”  Pepper answers honestly.  “And I’m married and so not interested.  Wrong gender for one.”

That is sort of a relief, to know it was partly because he was male that it hadn’t worked as he’d planned.  Perhaps a different tactic.  “And here I thought she didn’t respect you.”  Not that he’s seen them interact much, but he’s heard things in the days he’s been onboard.

Pepper blinks and Clint feels like he’s lost his footing.  None of his training seems to be working right now.  “Didn’t respect me?  We’re a little strange, but we care for each other deeply.”  And sure, sometimes Natasha was a little abrupt, but...

“You do truly love her.  That’s,” Clint is jealous, but he can’t say as much, “that’s good.  I’m happy for both of you.”

“Thank you.”  Pepper replied honestly.  She turns her back to Clint momentarily, groping for the comm button.  “Never met anyone like her before.  When we met she was trying to-“ Clint lashes out quickly, kicking Pepper in the head.

“Sorry,” Clint whispers, “but I really can’t have you messing this up.”  He leans over the navigation system, pressing buttons at random.  Then he picks Pepper up and puts her outside the bridge, leaning against the bulkhead.  He seals the door with explosive sticky tape.  He’s getting where he’s going or none of them will leave this ship alive. Clint races down the catwalk to the shuttledoor.  As he approaches though, the door opens and Wanda steps out.  They meet, mere inches apart, both startled.

"Oh," Wanda exclaims, reaching towards him, "Are you lost?”

Shit, Clint hadn’t expected this.  “Sorry.  I thought you were in the other shuttle.”  He’d double checked even.

“It is.”  Wanda agrees affably.  “But my screen stopped working while I was on the cortex.”  She frowns.  “This one is too.”

“Looking for customers?”  Clint asks, thinking fast.

Wanda regards him with a cool glance.  “What are you looking for?”

He can’t answer that question.  So he deflects.  “I don’t mean to be rude.  A companion’s life is so glamorous and strange.  I wish I had the skill for such a trade.”

“To please Tony?”  Wanda wondered how she could have even teased about them being soulmates.

Clint frowned.  “He wouldn’t have me.”  Wait, no being sad about this wouldn’t be the right thing.  “I’m somewhat relieved.  If I’m to learn the art of love, I’d like it to be at the hands of someone gentle.  Someone who could feel what I feel.”

“Tony implied that you don’t approve of my work.”  Tony had implied no such thing, but perhaps the other two had talked had talked about it.  Wanda thught there was something off about Clint and this would tell her.  

“He’d keep it from you, of course.”  With that, Wanda had many things confirmed for her.  “I was too curious about you.  Ever since I saw you…”

“Come to my shuttle,” Wanda offered.  She could deal with him in there.

“You would?  You’d truly lie with me and teach me your ways?”  Wanda nods, reaching for Clint.  Then the alarms blare and Wanda internally curses.  She was so close.

“I guess we’ve deceived each other enough.”  Wanda says.

“You’re good.”  Clint admits with an easy shrug.

“You’re amazing.  Who are you, really?”  And if he’d hurt the Captain, Wanda would break him.

“Tony Stane’s widow.”  Wanda feels rage engulf her at that.  Clint seems to mistake it for surprise and throws a punch.  Wanda deflects it easily and goes after Clint, who bolts to the shuttle and straps in.  The engines fire.  Wanda immediately hits the panel near the door, shorting out the landing gear.  Clint would keep.

She takes off down the corridor, heading towards the bridge.  Natasha is tending to Pepper outside the bridge and Wanda doesn’t see the Captain.  She’s now worried that perhaps Clint had been telling the truth.

“Darling, wake up.”  Natasha is gently holding gauze to the wound on Pepper’s head.

Pepper’s eyes flutter.  “There’s no one in there,” she slurs.

Jan peeks out from her own ladder to her room.  “What’s going on?”  She asks, but Wanda doesn’t have eyes for her.

“Where’s Bucky, Steve, and Bruce?”  Wanda demands.  Natasha points and Wanda runs off that way.  She comes across Bucky first.  “You know where Tony is?”

“No.”  Bucky grunts.  “I’m heading towards his rooms.  Hopefully, he uses his giant head correctly and was somewhere safe.”

“I don’t know, something Clint said…” She trails off and Bucky’s eyes take on a stormy look.

“If he’s hurt, I’m going to kill Clint myself.”  Bucky’s metal arm tenses, metal plates shifting.  “Thank you, Wanda.”  Bucky runs back the way Wanda came and Wanda continues on.

Bucky rushes past Natasha and Pepper, only checking on them from the corner of his eyes.  He’s worried about Tony and he slips down the ladder to Tony’s room.  Tony is lying prone on the floor and for a second Bucky is paralyzed with terror.  But then he sees Tony’s chest rising and falling slowly.

“Tony.”  He whispers, taking a few steps over to Tony.  He falls to his knees, cradling Tony to his chest.  As he’s moved, he moans lightly.  Bucky releases a breath he didn’t know he was holding.  He presses a chaste kiss on Tony’s forehead.  “Thank god you’re alright.”  He knows he needs to get to the coms, but he also needs to hold Tony a little longer.  He’s warm and alive and no one could tear Tony away from Bucky right now.  There doesn’t seem to be any physical injury either, so the doctor really isn’t needed.  If Tony wakes up and there’s something wrong, then Bucky will call him.

Bucky doesn’t know how long he has been holding Tony, but it doesn’t seem that long until Tony’s eyes ease open.  Most of the crew has come by at least once to check on the Captain, but they’re all gone by now.  Tony quickly closes his eyes with a loud groan, but Bucky doesn’t need that much.

“You up, Tony?”  He asks, keeping his voice down somewhat.

One eye opens just a sliver and gazes up at Bucky.  “Is…” Tony coughs but prevails in answering the question, “it Christmas?”

“Nope,” Bucky can’t hide the relief that’s choking his breath.  “No, it’s just me.”

There’s a knock from above him and Hank shouts down, “He awake?”

“Yes, he’s awake.”  Bucky yells back, Tony winces and Bucky looks immediately chastised.

“What?” Tony asked, gingerly holding his head.  He hasn’t moved from Bucky’s lap and Bucky is pathetically grateful for that.  “What happened to me?”

“Pretty sure Clint was a plant.”  Bucky explained.  He didn’t have a full picture of the incident, but from what he had gathered, it seemed that way.  “I think he kissed you with a narcotic on his lips.  He took Pepper out.”

“Pepper would’ve never kissed him.”  Tony protested, “She’s head over heels for Nat.”

“Did you kiss him?”  Bucky asks, curious.

Tony frowns, “Not willingly.  He forced himself on me.”  Bucky’s eyes widened and Tony hastened to assure him, “Nothing more.  Where are the others?”  Then he puts his hand on the floor of the ship and his frown gets a little more severe, “What’s wrong with the engines?”

“Nothing is wrong with them, far as I know.  However, we’re locked out of the bridge.  Hank, Jan, and Steve are working on it.  Bruce was down here for a bit but said you were fine and would wake up on your own.”  Tony goes to nod, then winces and holds his head.

Jan appears on the ladder.  “Sorry to break you two up, lovebirds, but we’ve got an issue.”

“What’s the issue?”  Tony asked.  He didn’t feel much like moving, but he would if he had to.

“Clint fused both doorways to the ship’s bridge.”  Jan reports.  “We’re doing all we can, but it might not be enough.”

Tony now wishes he’d slept through all this.  “That’s a lot of work for something.”  He points out.  “What’s he after?”

“Don’t know.”  Jan admitted.  “But we can ask him later.”

“We can ask him?”  Tony thinks the poison might’ve knocked a few screws loose in his head.

Jan nods, happy to give the Captain some good news.  “Sure we can.  When he tried to make his getaway, Wanda stopped him.  He’s now locked in the other shuttle.”

 _Good old Wanda_ , Tony thought, _always saving my ass_.  “Huh.  Remind me to give her a raise.”

Jan rolls her eyes.  “You don’t pay her.”

Bucky breaks in before the friendly squabbling starts.  As much fun as it is to watch, it simply wouldn’t be productive now. “But why’d he take the shuttle?”

“Elaborate, Bucky-bear.”  Tony says, finally moving to a sitting position.

The nickname causes Bucky to grit his teeth, but he answers Tony anyways, “Clint could’ve easily taken the whole ship.  Why didn’t he?  Why’d he try to escape in the shuttle?”

Tony shrugs, “Something else we can ask him.”

“Jan!”  Steve shouts from above, “We’re in!”

Jan gives Bucky and Tony a lazy salute.  “Well, I’m being hailed.  See ya!”  Jan scrambles back up the latter and to the bridge.  Steve and Hank had managed to burn a hole through both doors and Jan internally groans.  That’s going to be hell on the expenses.  Hank is already under the navigation system with Pepper sitting by him and Natasha hovering worriedly beside her.

“It’s a pro job, Jan,”  Hank comments, sliding out from underneath.  “Want to see if you can do anything?”

“It might be a job for Tony,”  Pepper murmurs.  Everyone on the bridge gives her an odd look, Tony is a good Captain, but he’s not really a mechanic that they’ve seen.  And why would a mechanic hire two other mechanics?

Jan takes Hank’s place.  “It’s a masterful job.  Crossed the drive feeds, it’s gonna be hell to untangle.”

“Yippee.”  Hank muttered sarcastically.

“If we try a reroute, it’ll lock down, right?”  Pepper asks and Jan nods.

Hank adds, “She went straight for the thermal cap.”  Pepper winces sympathetically.

Jan wishes she was surprised.  “I noticed.  We’re hung.”  Tony, aided by Bucky, comes onto the bridge as soon as Jan finishes that.

“While I’m glad you are all having fun under there, can you fix it?”  Tony asks.  His words might be a little more carefully chosen then normal, but none of them are going to mention that.

“Probably.”  Jan replies.  “Might take a while though.”

“I’ll try to get you that time, but no promise.”

“Not gonna crawl under there and rewire it yourself?”

“Nah.  They’ve got it, Pep.  We’re heading straight towards a moon though, so don’t dawdle.”

“Right-o.  Would it be too soon to point out your husband put us in this sitation?”  Jan asked.  “Hank, pass me-yeah, thanks.”

“Shut up.”  Tony replies without heat.  “What order are you putting the systems back online?”

“Cortex and nav’ll be back first.  Then we can at least see which moon we’re gonna be hittin’.”

“How about stopping and steering?”

“It’s pretty fucked up, Tony.  We’re gonna have to-“

“I know.”  Tony reassured them. “Just get it done.”

“Only three impossible things before breakfast.”

“If you aren’t planning on keeping him,” Jan teases, “I’d happily marry Clint.  He really knows his ships.”

“Hey!”

“It’s not just that,” Wanda adds, “he knew all sorts of seduction techniques.  He tried to seduce me.”

“I’m beginning to think Clint might’ve married below his station.”  Steve snarks from where he’s working on the nav console.  Tony sticks his tongue out at him, but Steve only rolls his eyes in reply, looking supremely unbothered by it all.

“Well?”  Jan prompted Wanda, “Was he any good?”

Wanda shrugs.  “You shouldn’t try to seduce a companion.  It was sloppy of him, but he did appear to be in a rush.”

“Yeah, he was a professional, got it.  He could’ve been a little nicer with me.  Anyone would’ve kissed him, he practically jumped me.”

“Yet Pepper managed to avoid it…” Natasha pointed out, suddenly suspicious.

“It’s because I was talking about you,” Pepper admitted.  “He tried, but I just said I loved you and wasn’t going to be unfaithful.  So he decided to bash my head in.  Much nicer.”

Tony laughed, shaking his head.  “You’re crazy.  Com me when you’ve got some good news.”

"Will do, Cap."  Jan replies ever so sweetly.

"Oh, god,"  Hank sighs, "not this again."

In an effort to belay the normal argument between Tony and Jan Bucky steps in, "Come on, Tony, let's get you to Bruce.  He wanted to check you over once you were conscious again."

"Fine," Tony grumbles, "lead the way, Buckster."

"You're terrible."  Bucky replies, but allows Tony to lean on him.  They slowly make their way to the medbay where Bruce is working.  He's leaning over their EKG machine when Tony and Bucky limp in.

Without looking up, Bruce points to the bed, "Tony, sit down."  Tony sits obediently, knowing better than to try and press his luck with Bruce.  He finishes up his work on the EKG, then straightens up and walks over to Tony.

"Any lingering headache, nausea, dizziness?"  Bruce asks, pulling out a penlight and shining it in Tony's eyes to check the response time of the cornea.

"Nah, feel fine.  I've had worse hangovers."  Tony replies cheekily.  Bucky frowns and Tony feels the need to grin at him.  The corners of Bucky's mouth betray his amusement and Tony feels himself relaxing.  Despite the little mishap with him accidentally getting married, everything is going to turn out fine for the two of them, he just knows it.  

Bruce does a couple more checks, making sure there really are no lingering effects of the 'Goodnight kiss' as he calls it.  

"Looks like you're in good health."  He finally admits.  "Or as good as health as you ever are."

Tony nods, "Could be worse, I suppose.  He could've gone for my chest."  Bucky frowns again and Tony sighs.  "Look, Bucky, I'm totally okay.  No lingering effects.  My arc reactor is still fine."

In a small voice, Bucky asks, "Can I see it?  Just to be sure..."

Tony looks at Bruce, then at Bucky, finally he sighs.  "Fine.  Bruce, could you please leave?"

Bruce rolls his eyes, he's seen the arc reactor a dozen times since he became the doctor aboard the Avenger, but leaves.  As soon as the doors close behind them, Tony strips off his shirt.  While the skin is being exposed, Bucky draws near.  Embedded deep into Tony's chest is the arc reactor, still glowing a steady blue.  Bucky breaths a sigh of relief and covers it with his hand.  Tony draws in a breath and their eyes lock.  An understanding passes between the two of them and Tony relaxes into Bucky's hand.

There's a faint vibration to the arc reactor, the only hint that it's even working.  But that's enough to reassure Bucky.  He pulls his hand away.  "He didn't even know it was there, did he?"

Tony shook his head and pulled his shirt back on.  "No, he didn't have a clue.  Probably saved my life."

"But he didn't try to kill Pepper," Bucky pointed out.  

"Yeah-" Whatever else Tony was going to say was cut off by the com crackling to life.

"Hey, Tony,"  Jan's cheerful voice announced, "Captain needed on the bridge.  Bucky, if he shouldn't walk you know how to carry him right?"

The smirk Bucky gets at that is unholy and Tony draws away.  Unfortunately, Bucky is faster and manages to grab him.  There's a very brief, playful tussle that ends with Tony in a bridal carry and frowning.

"I can walk, you know."  He complains as Bucky carries him back to the bridge.

Bucky nods, "I know.  It's just fun to carry you."  Tony sighs and gives up, Bucky is hard to convince on a good day.  

On the bridge Jan, Hank, and Steve are all working on various parts of the navigation system.  "What's back online?"  Tony asks, praying that no one takes notice of the fact he's being carried.  

No such luck.  "Aww, you took my advice, BUcky."  Jan coos.  "Did he fight you?  Gosh, doesn't he look so adorable?"

"What's back online?"  Tony repeats.

"We've partially repaired navigation, Tony."  Steve answers.  

"And you aren't going to like it."  Hank continues.

Not good news then.  "What am I not going to like?" He asks, weary.

"This."  Jan hits a button on the nav consul and the glass of the bridge lights up.  Displayed on it is a giant contraption that Tony knows far too well.

"Deep space net."  He mutters.  "And out here that means scavengers or reavers."

"Deep space net?"  Bucky queries, finally putting Tony on his feet but not leaving his side.

Tony nods, "Yeah.  It's normally a place for refueling, maybe a little R&R."

Bucky knows he's missing something.  "That doesn't sound too bad."

Jan gives a dark laugh, "Yeah, the part where these are what scavengers use.  They'll trap a ship in it and strip it bare in a matter of minutes."

"Fuck."  Tony mutters, rubbing his forehead.  The headache he was missing a couple seconds ago is now starting to appear.

"So we fight them when they try to board," Bucky points out.  "We'll win."

"No,"  Hank admits.  "Normally they don't even give their prey a fighting chance.  They'll just open us to space or pump the ship full of poison."

Steve's jaw clenches.  "What do we do then?"

"Destroy the net."  Tony suggests.

"How?"  Hank shoots back.  

Bucky considers the net.  "Do we have weapons?"

"Wha-"

"Not currently online, no."  Jan admits.  "And even if we did, it'd be hard as hell to aim them."

"I could get them back online,"  Tony murmurs, "as long as someone could fire them."

"I don't know how good my shot is in real life."  Bucky replies.  "But in my dreams I was a good shot."

"Clint could do it."  Jan hesitantly suggests.

Tony sighs.  "Can we really trust him though?  He did try to knock me out."

"No."  Bucky growls.  "He's staying locked up."

"Bucky," Steve implores, "He could be our best chance."

"He hurt Tony."  Bucky replies stubbornly.  "He's staying locked up."

Tony scoffs, "No, no, that's not adequate reasoning."  Which makes Bucky look absolutely mutinous.  Tony continues on, "If that's the only protest we have, I say go ahead and ask him to do it.  Especially if he's our best bet."

“We could just put on the space suits and wait it out.”  Bucky points out.  “That way we don’t have to deal with him at all.”

“The only issue with that,” Steve points out, “is that there’s not enough of them for all of us.”

“Fine.”  Bucky snarls.  “Go ahead and ask the asshole.  But when he betrays us, I’m going to say ‘told you so’ even if they’re my last fucking words.”

“At least I know you care.”  Tony replies with a grin.  “But, in all seriousness, I’ll be fine.  I don’t think he wanted to kill us.”

That caused Bucky to look at him like he was crazy.  “You’re not asking him.  Someone else is.  You’re repairing our weapons.”

“Who do you suggest asks him then?”  Tony asked, quirking an eyebrow.  

Bucky looked around everyone on the bridge.  “Nat.”  He said finally.  “Nat or Steve should ask him.”

“Nat isn’t here to say no,” Steve points out.  “So I’ll do it.”

“Fine.”  Tony agreed, somewhat relieved he wouldn’t have to face Clint again.  “You have my blessing.”

Steve rolled his eyes, but squeezed past Tony and Bucky to head down to the shuttles.  When he was gone, Tony clapped his hands.  “I’ll get to work on our guns then.  See you all soon.”  He grabs Bucky’s arm and pulls him off the bridge and down the stairs to the two gunnery stations.  

“What’s wrong with them?”  Bucky asks.  To his eye everything looks fine, but the Alliance hadn’t exactly stuffed his head full of schematics for a Firefly class ship.

“Not much,” Tony admits, “if we were in atmo.  But these guns don’t normally work in space.”

Bucky fixes Tony with an incredulous look.  “You won’t be able to revamp them in time to work!”  Tony was a captain, not a mechanic.  

“Oh, ye of little faith.”  Tony smirks, shooing Bucky over to a corner and rolling up his sleeves.  Soon enough he’s elbows deep in the port side gun.  The net, which hadn’t been visible when both of them came down, slowly looms into view.  Bucky watches it with trepidation.

“Ahah!”  Tony shouts.  “Got it.”  Bucky looks away from the net and back at Tony.  The gun looks like something chewed on it and spit it out.  It certainly doesn’t look safe.

“That thing shoots?”  Bucky asked, scoffing.  

“If it doesn’t, we’re all outta luck.”  Clint announces from behind Bucky.  Bucky turns around with a thunderous expression on his face, but Clint doesn’t seemed phases as he strides past him.  “Now scoot, my good captain, and let me do the fancy shooting, m’kay?  And pull your Robocop off my ass.  I get nervous when I think I’m about to be killed.”

“Why should I?”  Bucky demanded.  “You’ve hurt my captain, hurt one of my fellow crew members, and were about to leave us to scavengers.”

“First off, I didn’t know there were scavengers.  I just fucked with the nav console so you couldn’t follow me.”  Clint replied, slipping into the gunner’s seat.  Tony countered him, slipping back into the room next to Bucky.  “But Wanda stopped me from escaping, so now my ass is on the line.  I rather like my ass.  So I’m going to save our collective and you’re not going to turn me into the Alliance, okay?”

Tony and Bucky traded a look, then Tony shrugged.  “Sure.  How do you feel about staying though?”  Bucky glared and Tony smiled back, wrapped his hand around Bucky’s metal one.  

“What?”  Clint asked, even as he aimed and fired the gun five times, hitting a foci point of the net each time.  “You can’t be serious!  I’m on the run from the Alliance.”

“So are we.”  Tony admitted.  “Harboring at least two known fugitives and all that jazz.”  Five, if one counted himself, Natasha, and Pepper but no one but them knew that yet and Tony was hoping to keep it that way.  

“He’s not staying.”  Bucky protested.  

Clint leaned back in the chair, propping his feet up on the gun.  “Huh, just for that-sure, I’ll stay.  But we’re getting divorced, honey.”

“Not a problem.”  Tony assured him.  “But getting dispensation from your pastor is proving tricky.”

“Doesn’t count unless you consummate it.”  Clint provided, standing up.  “If it hasn’t been consummated, just need verbal agreement between the two parties.  Consider yourself officially divorced.”

“Thank god.”

The intercom buzzed and Tony leaned across Bucky to press the button.  “Steve just got back up here,” Jan said, “everything alright down there?”

“Weren’t you watching the window?”  Clint whined.  “I just did it in.”

“Uhm…” there was hushed conferring between the people on the bridge, then Nat spoke.  “While I’m sure your shots were accurate, there appears to be a shield in place.  Nothing was taken out.”

Clint swore, diving back into the gunner chair.  “How many times do you think I have to hit this fucker?”  He asked.  

“About as many times as you shot the man from Budapest.”  

His eyes widened, even as he took another few shots.  “Nat?”  He asked, voice barely holding steady.  “I thought you were dead!”  Another shot, then a silent explosion that rocked the ship a bit.  “God dammit, you left SHIELD and got married and didn’t even send me a postcard.”  He finished off the net with eight perfect shots.  One to break fractured shield around each foci point and one to take the actual foci point out.  

A cheer went up in the bridge.  Clint and Bucky joined in, but Tony was focused on the intercom.  “You two know each other?”  Tony asked mildly.

“Took me a while to place him, Tony, sorry.”  Nat replies.  “You’re looking at Clint Barton.  He was my partner while I worked for SHIELD.”

There was so much Tony didn’t know about Natasha and he was seriously regretting not digging into her past more. “You’ll have to tell me more of this fascinating story later.”  He warned her.

“I promise I will, Tony.”  Natasha knew she’d have to give up her secrets eventually.  “But for now, give Bucky a ‘thank fuck we survived kiss.’”  

Tony opened his mouth to tell Natasha to shove it, but Bucky captured his lips in a soft kiss before he managed to get any words out.  Oh, it was nicer than he had dared imagine, Bucky’s human and metal hands wrapped around his lips

They broke apart when Clint wolf whistled, but Bucky’s arm stayed around Tony’s waist.  The worst might be yet to come, but they’d found each other.  


End file.
